


Here come the Consorts of Midnight

by pbarfic9



Series: Bring Me the Kings of the Shadows [7]
Category: One Direction (Band), Zayn Malik (Musician)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Demon Hunters, Angst, Demon Harry Styles, Demon Hunters, Demon Zayn Malik, Demon!Zayn, Demons, Dirty Talk, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Multi, Power Dynamics, Teasing, Threesome - M/M/M, hunter!Louis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2017-11-22
Packaged: 2018-08-19 16:04:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8215952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pbarfic9/pseuds/pbarfic9
Summary: Louis’s eyes fly open to the sound of a crash from his living room, and what sounds like Liam’s scream.  He’s out of bed and grabbing the knife he keeps on his nightstand before he’s even fully awake, his years of hunting training already two steps ahead of sluggish, not yet awake brain.  ...or Louis wakes up to an unpleasant surprise in his living room, and for once, his boyfriends are nowhere to be found.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhh I'm back!!! I know this update is a little shorter than my ones have been recently, but I hope you like it! As always, please let me know what you think <3

Louis’s eyes fly open to the sound of a crash from his living room, and what sounds like Liam’s scream. He’s out of bed and grabbing the knife he keeps on his nightstand before he’s even fully awake, his years of hunting training already two steps ahead of sluggish, not yet awake brain. 

“Louis!” He hears from the hall, and fuck, that’s definitely Liam. Fuck, fuck, fuck what the hell is going on? God it’s too fucking early for this shit. Louis was supposed to be asleep, relaxed, maybe dreaming of his two wonderful boyfriends, but instead he finds him running down his hallway as fast as he can, whirling into the living room so fast he must look like a hurricane. 

He knows he must look ridiculous, in nothing but sweat pants and a loose t-shirt, hair still sleep rumpled, and glasses on his nose. But his heart is beating far too fast for him to even register that he’s still in his pajamas, hammering away at his ribcage so hard it feels like it might break a rib.  
The scene he walks into sends an icy shiver of terror racing down his spine. His front door has been almost entirely ripped off of its hinges, splinters of wood and metal liter the kitchen and living room. Liam’s standing there, clearly terrified, and in the middle of it all….a demon. It’s hissing, and spitting, and backing Liam into a corner as Louis watches, stunned, from the other end of the room. 

Fuck, fuck, fuck, Louis grits his teeth. Liam’s defenseless, and he has no idea what kind of demon this is, but it doesn’t matter. One swipe of that thing’s claws, and his roommate is well, dead. Literally. 

“Where is he?” the thing growls, hissing in Liam’s face. 

“Looking for me?” Louis drawls, leaning against the doorframe he’s somehow still standing in, twirling the knife he’s holding between his fingers, an almost bored look on his face. There are about a million thoughts racing through his head right now, but he’s opting for an air of casual nonchalance, arrogance even. He needs to get this thing as far away from Liam as he possibly can. At least he has a chance against this thing, and if this demon thinks Louis is going to have his own roommate’s blood on his hands, it had better think again. 

The demon snarls, and turns, the full force of his attention now on Louis and Louis alone. “I don’t appreciate what you did to my door…” Louis says, his voice slow and careful, as he begins moving to the demon’s right. His eyes are cold, calculating, his footsteps sure, the weight of the knife in his hands familiar, comforting even. 

For the first time, Liam watches the change in Louis, watches Louis lock himself away, and watches the face of someone he barely recognizes take his place. This Louis is nothing like his roommate he knows and loves, the roommate who orders pizza with him and brings him advil on a Sunday morning when he’s too hungover to move. This Louis is sure, deadly, and Liam feels himself almost take a step back. Liam knows Louis is a hunter, knows he meddles with the supernatural, but he’s never actually seen Louis with a weapon in his hand. He’s shocked by how natural it seems, how normal. Fuck, what the hell is going on here? 

Louis and the demon are still circling, slowly, carefully, around Louis’ living room. The demon’s eyes are narrowed, its claws click against the floor with every step it takes. Liam’s going to die, he’s sure of it.

“You.” The demon spits with disgust, “stay the fuck away from Harry and Zayn” Louis cocks an eyebrow, “what’s it to you?” he questions, sizing this thing up. This demon’s unlike anything he’s ever seen before, Louis can’t figure out what class it’s in, and that’s going to make this more difficult than it needs to be. 

“Harry and Zayn have become too attached to you, little human.” The creature growls, “and I’m here to put a stop to that. You’re upsetting a delicate balance here, one your pitiful mortal brain is too small to even begin to understand.” 

Louis grits his teeth. He’s fucked, he’s definitely fucked. But he forces himself to square his shoulders, and look this thing dead in the eye before he speaks again. The last thing he needs is a show of weakness. 

“In the future” he growls, “if you have a problem with one of my boyfriends, I would very much appreciate it if you took that up with them, thanks” he growls, glaring. 

At the mention of the word boyfriend the demon seems to lose it, launching himself at Louis with a horrible hiss, claws slashing out towards Louis’ shoulder. 

Louis dodges, stepping to the demon’s right, and slashing out with the knife still in his hand. He’s still not totally sure how this mark thing Harry and Zayn have on him works, but God he hopes it includes a distress signal or something, ‘cause he could really use one right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? Thoughts? This is certainly a change in tone from where my last work in this 'verse left off, please let me know what you think!
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are BAE!! They make my little writer's heart glow with joy, hearing y'alls feedback is seriously the single best part of this. 
> 
> Mwah! <3


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my loves!! Finally a new chapter! Let me know what you think :) (you can also kik me, I'm pbarfic9 just like on here) 
> 
> ALSO-check out the mob story I also have going on! AND, I'm thinking of starting like a one shot collection, would anyone be interested in that?

Louis manages to hit the demon’s arm, slashing it open and spraying black blood everywhere. The demon swings at Louis’ head, screeching frantically as Louis dodges out of the way at the last second. Louis drops and rolls away before he’s back up a second later, feet planted firmly, crouched in a fighter’s stance, the knife held securely in his hand. The thing seems to steady itself, turns slowly to face Louis, head cocked to the side, watching; waiting. 

Louis’ eyes track its movement, as he circles slowly through his own living room. The adrenaline is pumping through this veins, and now he feels it; the anger. He feels his jaw tense, as his eyes narrow. What the fuck is happening to him? He can’t let his feelings get the best of him, he needs to steady himself.

Anger makes you make mistakes, clouds your judgment. If there’s anything Louis has learned fighting demons all these years, it’s that those mistakes kill. 

And yet somehow, Louis can’t seem to get the feeling under control. This is different than anything he’s ever felt before, and for a second he thinks this must be a wrath demon, before he realizes; the thing hasn’t actually touched him. Wrath demons’ power requires physical contact, and this thing hasn’t touched him at all… 

Louis’ fighting an internal battle, and he feels himself slipping away. That voice, his voice, is still there somewhere, somewhere deep in the back of his mind, but it’s like it’s somehow removed from his reality. Like it’s there, but can’t push through the fog clouding his mind. 

It hits him all at once; a heady cocktail of anger, and power. It’s rushing through his veins, his pulse is pounding, and his eyes are calculating, his heart swelling with a white hot desire for blood. He sees the demon’s black blood running down its arm, and he smiles. It feels so good, to hurt, to watch it bleed-to get his revenge. Louis wants more, wants to watch the look on the demon’s face as it recognizes it’s lost, he wants to win. He wants to kill. 

He closes his eyes, and stops fighting. He gives in to the power rushing through his veins, and he laughs in delight as he opens his eyes. He feels free, feels strong, and he’s ready to kill. 

Liam gulps. Louis and the demon are still just standing there, facing off, when suddenly, Louis pauses. And once again, Liam watches his roommate’s face change completely. Louis closes his eyes, and when he opens them, Liam wants to cower even further into the corner he’s hiding in. Something’s wrong. Something dark seems to have taken over Louis, there’s a wicked glint in his eye; something not…human. 

Liam is terrified. 

Louis squares his shoulders. The fear is gone now, replaced by something else, something darker. God it feels so good to be free, to finally be free of the fear, of the nervous adrenaline that usually accompanies him when he fights. He cocks an eyebrow at the demon in front of him, and he feels something familiar swell inside of him, almost as though some part of him recognizes the demon in front of him. 

The demon hisses, it too recognizes the change in Louis, and it’s eyeing Louis with something akin to caution. “What’s the matter?” Louis hears himself purr, and even his voice sounds darker. He sounds like he’s enjoying this. 

“Scared of little ol’ me?” Louis taunts. 

That does it, the demon screeches forward, swinging at Louis wildly. Louis laughs darkly in response, swinging out of the way at the last second and plunging his knife into the demon’s arm. Black blood bubbles up at the wound, and Louis smiles in response. 

This time, the demon doesn’t give him a moment to regroup, coming at him again. For Louis, it feels almost too easy, like everything’s moving in slow motion; like he’s somehow able to process a million things he’s never noticed before, all at once. 

He catches where Liam’s still cowering in the corner of the room, and some part of him curls in disgust. Weak little human, completely unable to defend himself. 

The demon lunges again, and suddenly Louis sees it, as clearly as if you’d laid it out for him ahead of time. He’s moving of his own accord, not thinking, unwavering, as he spins one final time, and plunges his knife into the demon’s back. The thing screams one last, horrible screech, before it begins to shrivel up beneath Louis blade. Louis is left there, standing over it as it tumbles out of this dimension. And he licks his lips in delight. 

“Louis?” Liam tries timidly from the corner. The look on Louis’ face is terrifying, and all of a sudden he finds himself just as afraid of Louis as he had been of the demon just seconds earlier. 

“Louis?” he tries again, but it’s like Louis can’t hear him, he’s just standing over the pool of black blood where the demon had been just moments earlier, a wicked smirk still on his face. 

Suddenly, Liam hears footsteps at the door, and a swell of relief washes through him as he recognizes Harry and Zayn. God, he never thought he’d be relieved to see a demon. 

Harry and Zayn stand there in shock for a second, taking in the scene in front of them. And then all of a sudden, it’s like something snaps in them, and they spring into action. Harry rushes over to Liam, demanding to know what the hell is going on, as Liam frantically tries to recount what happened.

Zayn cocks his head, looking at Louis cautiously. Something cold rushes down Zayn’s spine, Louis isn’t himself; something is wrong. Zayn looks into his eyes, and Louis’ eyes are blown entirely black…not unlike his own eyes. 

Suddenly, Zayn is worried. 

“Harry” he calls cautiously, careful not to make any sudden moves. “Stay where you are.” 

Harry stops mid-sentence, and moves to stand in front of Liam, blocking him from Louis and Zayn. 

Louis’ eyes are tracking Zayn’s movements, like he’s waiting for Zayn to strike. Zayn steps cautiously forward, and Louis eyes follow him, calculating. 

“Louis?” Zayn calls out softly, taking another cautious step forward. “Louis can you hear me?” 

Suddenly he watches something flicker across Louis face, recognition as his voice breaks through. A look of fear passes over his face. 

Zayn can’t get to him fast enough, before he collapses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So?? Thoughts?!
> 
> What's wrong with Louis? What happened to him? Where do you think the story is headed/should head? 
> 
> Please please please let me know your thoughts!! As always, kudos and comments always make my day!
> 
> Mwah! <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are...Louis finally wakes up ;) 
> 
> Please let me know what you thought! Comments and kudos are my favorite!!

Louis wakes up groggy, the world still spinning slightly before his eyes as he gradually gets his bearings. He comes to to the image of Harry and Zayn knelt over him, worried looks on their faces. 

He can see their lips moving, but he can’t hear what they’re saying. It’s like he’s underwater, everything is moving so slowly, almost like he’s in a fog. 

Suddenly, he snaps into reality with a rush, feeling like he’d been suddenly and unexpected jet-propelled back into his world, out of the warm haze of unconsciousness he’d been enjoying, and suddenly back into the sharp reality of another dimension entirely. 

Harry and Zayn are still there, still standing over him, and the looks on their faces are a mix between concern, and caution as they peer down at him. 

“I-is Liam okay?” he asks, his voice scratchy and rough, his throat is incredibly dry all of a sudden, and he can’t figure out why. He’s feeling panicked as he realizes Liam’s not standing in front of him with his boyfriends. Shit, what the hell happened? Liam hadn’t signed up for all of this, he’s not involved with this world at all, and by God it’s Louis’ job to protect him. And if he’d let anything happen to him, he’s never going to forgive himself…

Shit, shit, shit, where is Liam? His heart is racing, and his eyes are darting around frantically, and he can feel himself getting worked up as concern takes hold of his heart. He’s ripped out of his growing anxiety by strong fingers on his chin, forcing his gaze to stead itself on Harry, whose expression has now changed to full blown concern. 

“Liam is fine” Harry assures him, quietly but firmly, “we sent him into the other room. He was….a little freaked out. But he’s safe, he’s okay Louis.” 

Finally, Louis takes a deep breath, that knot of anxiety in his chest loosening. He seems almost to fall into himself, confused and exhausted. His gaze moves between his two boyfriends, as he searches their dark black eyes for something, anything. Anything to explain what the hell had just happened to him. 

To his surprise, Zayn pulls him into a hug, his arms wound tightly around Louis, and he allows himself to relax into his strong arms. Zayn and Harry too seem to breath a sigh of relief. 

“What the hell happened to me?” Louis asks, his voice shaky with something akin to fear. 

He thinks back, thinks back to how this darkness inside of him had sudden seemed to sneak up on him, how it overcame him, and he shudders at the headspace he had allowed himself to be dragged into. It felt like something deep, something dark had been awoken inside of him…something that might take over Louis again at any moment. Some dangerous, ancient beast inside of him that Louis was powerless to control. 

He can feel it, even now, sitting in the embrace of his boyfriends. It’s small, but it’s there, and somehow Louis knows that acknowledging it, focusing on it, would be enough to call it back to the foreground, to bring it back and let it out of whatever flimsy cage Louis has managed to corral it into….for now. 

He pauses, looks up at Harry through his eyelashes. 

“I’m scared” he whispers, his voice soft, and afraid. 

Harry, for his part, holds his gaze, almost as though he can’t look away either, as though the two of them are trapped in each other’s gaze by something much more primal, much deeper than either of them can control.

As Louis stares into the black pools of Harry’s eyes, he feels himself calming, feels that darkness he’s fighting to keep contained calm, like a cat purring at being shown attention. 

He looks into the black of Harry’s eyes, and that deep dark part of his crows in recognition, and Louis feels safe, feels whole, feels protected. He doesn’t know what’s happening, but whatever it is, it’s giving him the strength to tighten his hold on himself, to sit up, and begin trying to piece together what the hell is going on with him. 

“I-I don’t know what happened” he starts, and to their credit, Harry and Zayn seem content to just sit there and hold him, to keep him safe and warm in their arms until his mind can find the words to describe what they hadn’t been there to witness. Come to think of it, they’re being uncharacteristically comforting for a pair of desire demons. 

“It was like suddenly there was this dark, almost evil force inside that pushed itself forward, almost as though it was taking control. And I….I….let it. It was like there was nothing I could do….” He finally manages to get out, leaning back against Zayn’s chest as his mind finally finds an appropriate descriptor. 

“And once it was here, it was…I was just…I was gone. And it…it felt good. I liked it, what the hell is wrong with me? What’s happening to me? I wanted to kill, I wanted to watch the demon bleed, it was like everything was in slow motion, I knew exactly where to move, what to say, and I was reveling in it…someone tell me what’s going on, what’s happening to me?” 

Louis’ starting to work himself up again, and to be fair, Zayn can understand why. He can’t figure out what had happened to Louis either, his description is unlike any he’s ever heard of anyone turning before…he’s just as much in the dark as Louis is, and he hates it. Hates not being able to help his boyfriend, hates not being able to understand… 

But right now, they need to focus on Louis, need to help him come down from whatever he’s just experienced, they need to make sure he’s okay. 

“What am I going to do? What if this happens again-“ Louis almost frantic rambling is cut off by the soft press of Harry’s lips against his, and all of a sudden, it’s like the anxiety is sapped out of him. He doesn’t want to worry, he just wants to feel loved, to feel taken care of, and his boyfriends seem happy to oblige. 

“Calm down love, we’ll figure it out. It’s all gonna be okay. We’re here, you’re safe now…” he heard Zayn’s voice murmur in his ear, his voice soft, the kind of voice where he’s seductive without meaning to be. 

He kisses Harry back. He dives in, pressing his lips against Harry’s desperately, surging forward with a sudden energy. He needs something, anything to hold onto, to hold him in this reality, to anchor him to the ground. 

He feels Zayn’s lips press against his neck, as Harry returns his frantic kiss. 

“Come on love, let’s go upstairs.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? Thoughts? Love it? Hate it? 
> 
> I was really struggling with how to write this scene, not sure how to convey the more tender connection between the three. Did you like it? Do you like how the characters are developing? Do you miss the darker, more sinister Zayn and Harry? 
> 
> As always, please let me know your thoughts! Kudos and comments make my little writer's heart sing with joy!!!!
> 
> If you'd like to converse more in death, feel free to kik me! 
> 
> Mwah! <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh a new chapter! Finally! I know, I'm the absolute worst, it's taken me forever to update this and I apologize profusely for that!! But at long last, finals are over, and I'm hoping I'll have more time to write coming up. 
> 
> As always, please let me know what you thought!!

They make it upstairs. Louis is clingier than usual, practically plastered to Harry’s side as they make their way into his bedroom. God he’s tired, and his muscles ache, he shouldn’t want it, but he does. Wants his boyfriends close to him, beside him, wants to feel them and know that he’s here, that he’s okay. Needs to cling to them as they keep him grounded in this reality, far away from whatever dark, sinister beast is pacing frantically in Louis’ chest.

They take their places on the bed, Louis in the middle with Harry and Zayn on either side of him. Their bodies are pressed against him on both sides, and he can feel the hard, firm lines of them against him. And yet it doesn’t feel like it’s enough, doesn’t feel like they’re close enough to him. He feels like he wants to bury himself in them forever. Wants to stay in their soft, warm embrace where he’s safe. Where he’s loved.

Harry looks down at Louis softly, almost like he’s pondering something. He’s never seen Louis like this before, and to be honest it kind of scares him. Sure, he and Zayn may usually take a more dominant role in the bedroom, but their Louis is no pushover. 

Harry’s met a lot of hunters before in his lifetime, more than he can even count, much less cares to remember. And Louis was stronger than any of them. He blazed with such a fire, such a passion in everything he did…and it was unlike anything he’d ever seen before. 

Louis didn’t hunt because of a family obligation, or because this was what he’d always trained to do…it was part of who he was. Louis was a solider, trained from the time he was a child to fight whatever battles the supernatural world threw at him, ready to give his life to protect the all the innocent, naïve masses around him. And yet he wasn’t afraid. Harry’s seen Louis take down wrath demons old enough that their power should have had Louis flat on his back before he even got a chance to swing. And through it all, Louis carried himself with poise, confidence, and strength. 

It was intimidating to be honest, that calm readiness, that strength in a hunter. But as he stares down at his boyfriend beneath him, for the first time, Harry sees something replace the fiery passion that usually blazes so bright in Louis’ eyes. 

Fear.

Harry doesn’t like it. He wants it gone, immediately. He doesn’t know why he does it, but the next second his lips are on Louis’ kissing him with a frantic passion he’s suddenly possessed with. He kisses Louis like he’s trying to force that fire back in, trying to reignite those flames; trying to banish the fear from his boyfriend’s eyes. 

Louis responds in kind, just as desperate as Harry is. His kiss feels possessive, feels claiming, and suddenly Louis feels like he’s being anchored to the ground. 

“We’re not going to let _anything_ happen to you” he hears Zayn whisper fiercely to his right.

And he believes them, he does. He can see it in their faces, their expressions. He turns from Harry to kiss Zayn. He needs him to know that he’s just as in this as they are, that for better or for worse the three of them are a unit now, and right now, he needs them. 

Zayn kisses him back, a protective edge in the movement of his lips against Louis’. God he’s so frustrated, angry even, almost wishes Louis had left that demon for him and Harry to finish off. God that thing doesn’t know how lucky it is, he and Harry wouldn’t have let him die as quickly as Louis had. Louis had been merciful, but he and Harry wouldn’t have been. To walk in and see another demon threatening Louis had made his blood positively boil. And demon or no, that wasn’t something he or Harry were going to forgive. Or forget.

But that’s not what’s important now. What’s important now is that Louis safe. He’s here, he’s alive, and he needs him and Harry to take care of him. So that’s what they do. They take care of him.

“P-Please…” Louis sighs, soft and desperate as he looks up at his boyfriends. He doesn’t even really know what he’s asking for, only that Harry and Zayn are the only people in the world who can give it to him right now.

He sighs in relief as they seem to understand, small smirks playing at their lips as he feels Harry’s hand trail down his chest, across his stomach, before finally slipping underneath his sweatpants to take ahold of his cock.

He’s hard. He almost doesn’t know why, but he is, and all he wants is Harry and Zayn closer to him, surrounding him, he can’t seem to get enough. 

“Shhh it’s okay, we’ve got you” he hears Zayn whisper in his ear, as he kisses softly behind his earlobe. 

“Let us take care of you babe”

And Louis does. He lays back, and lets himself feel them. Lets himself get lost in their kisses, in the feeling of their bodies next to his. He feels their love for him in every sweep of their fingertips down his chest, feels their concern in every press of Zayn’s lips against his throat. 

Harry’s tugging him off slowly, almost lovingly. And it feels so good, to be safe, to be surrounded by his boyfriends. And Louis lets himself sink into that feeling, that feeling that they’re going to keep him safe. That they’re going to protect him, even if they have to protect him from himself.

Louis has fought dozens of battles, faced dozens of horrors coughed forth from other demonic dimensions, but for the first time in his life what he’s facing isn’t something he can see. 

It’s a part of him, clawing desperately to be let out again, and for the first time in his life, Louis is scared he’s not strong enough to win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Love it? Hate it? Hate ME???
> 
> The tone here I think is very different from what I've written in the past, and I hope I conveyed the tone I was going for! 
> 
> Please please please let me know what you thought!! Hearing what y'all think is honestly my favorite part of doing this <3
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are BAE!! They make my little writer's heart sing with joy! <3 :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new update! 
> 
> As always, please let me know what you thought! <3 :)

“Fight me”

“No.”

The expression on Harry and Zayn’s faces are stubborn, unwavering as they stand across from Louis. But unluckily for them, Louis is just as stubborn as they are, and this isn’t something he’s willing to concede on. 

“I need the practice, and I can’t keep hitting mannequins and targets anymore. I need something that moves, something that _thinks_. And as it so happens, what I have is one step better even than that. You two are demons, there is literally nothing better for me to train with than the two of you.” 

Harry crosses his arms across his chest, and holds Louis’ gaze. They’ve been having this argument for days now, and Louis isn’t backing down. But they won’t, they _can’t_ …

“Louis we’ve been through this, Zayn and I are not going to fight you!” he exclaims, exasperation clear in his voice. He resists throwing his hands in the air in frustration, he’s way, way too old for such childish displays thank you very much. 

“Well why the hell not?!” Louis counters, his voice rising aggressively.

Zayn takes a deep breath. “Because we don’t want to hurt you, Lou.” He says, carefully keeping his voice calm as he speaks up from beside Harry. He’s been relatively quiet up until now, simply choosing to listen, to watch as Louis and Harry duke this out. 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Louis asks, rolling his eyes in exasperation. 

“Oh don’t pull that bullshit with me, Lou. You know very well what it means” Zayn grits out, his voice dark and dangerous. A shiver runs down Louis’ spine. He sighs. He does know what it means, he knows what they’re worried about. 

Zayn and Harry are powerful, powerful enough that if they lost control completely they might actually seriously hurt Louis. And he gets it, he really does. They want to keep him safe, but this isn’t helping that! 

Harry groans. He can see the determination in Louis’ eyes. He’s not going to back down. Louis’ been training a lot recently, much more so than usual. It feels like he spends hours in the gym every day, forcing himself to become stronger, better, faster. 

Deadlier.

That encounter a few weeks ago had really shaken him up, and Louis’ pushing himself practically to his limits trying to make sure it doesn’t happen again. And Harry understands that, he really does. When people feel like they aren’t in control of something, they tend to over exert control over other parts of their lives. 

Louis still feels that darkness inside of him, something dark and menacing pacing around in his chest, threatening to swallow him whole. And Harry knows it terrifies him, he can see the fear, the intimidation behind Louis’ arms as he swings at the punching bags while he trains. 

Louis takes a deep breath, and turns to meet Zayn’s gaze. 

“You’re not going to hurt me” he says, and his voice is softer now, he’s not yelling, it’s lost its aggressive edge. 

“You don’t know that Lou, what if we-“

“You’re not.” Louis interrupts, firmly, resolutely. “Besides, if anyone should be worried about losing control, it should be me, shouldn’t it?” He laughs wryly, but without humor. 

Zayn’s gaze breaks from his, and he turns to Harry instead, a conflicted look on his face.

You see, every time Louis trains, every time he fights, he feels that darkness inside of him rear its ugly head. Feels it trying to overtake him, and he can’t let that happen again, can’t let himself go like that again.

He’s afraid of what he’ll do. Of who he’ll hurt. 

So he’s been training. Practicing punching, hitting, fighting for hours on end, focusing on his control. Focusing on exerting his will over whatever’s buried in his chest, focusing on keeping it contained. 

It’s a skill he needs to develop. After all, he’s a hunter, it’s not like he can completely stop fighting entirely. And based on what that demon had said when it showed up, Louis is pretty confident he’s going to be facing even tougher fights going forward. 

He still hasn’t told Harry and Zayn about that part of what happened on that fateful Sunday morning just a few weeks ago. He knows he needs to, knows they have a right to know, but every time he goes to bring it up he just…can’t. 

He shakes his head slightly to clear his thoughts. That’s a conversation for another day, what he needs to focus on right now is focus on convincing his boyfriends to train with him. Well more specifically, to fight him. 

He’s gotten pretty good at control against stationary targets. He can keep himself contained as he beats the punching bags and mannequins around him for hours on end, but hitting something that breathes, something that thinks and can fight back is another ballgame altogether. He doesn’t know if his control is strong enough to fight something living, and that’s not something he’s willing to discover the next time he encounters a wrath demon in a dark alleyway. 

“Please?” he finally appeals. Dropping his arms to his sides as his shoulders sag slightly. “Think about it this way, I’ll only be training with one of you at a time. If you lose control, one of you will still be there to snap you out of it. And plus, you’re not going to hurt me.”

Harry turns to look at Zayn, and the two of them seem to contemplate it silently for a moment, almost as though they’re having a silent conversation. Shit for all Louis knows, they could be. 

Finally, they turn back to Louis. Harry sighs. “Alright fine.” 

Louis looks up, and smiles softly at him in response. “Thank you” he says, and his tone is genuine, sincere. 

“But Louis, if one of us steps in, you can’t stand in our way. We are _not_ going to let anything happen to you. If one of us starts to lose control, you have to step back, and let us handle it. It won’t be pretty, Lou” 

“Got it.” Louis says with a nod of his head. 

“Plus,” he adds, a cocky jut to his chin and a wicked smirk playing on his lips, “I’m not afraid of you” 

“You should be” Zayn answers darkly, eyebrow quirking up as his eyes twinkle deviously. 

“We’ll see about that, Malik” 

And for the first time in weeks, the spark returns to Louis’ eyes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? Did you love it? Hate it? Have an idea of what's going on or what you'd like to see more of going forward?
> 
> Please please please let me know!! Kudos and comments make my little writer's heart sing with joy!! 
> 
> Mwah!<3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been so long!! I'm sorry!! Going to try to update more frequently and regularly, I promise! 
> 
> As always, please let me know what you think! Comments and kudos make my day!

Louis leads the two of them downstairs, down into a part of his house they rarely venture into. Harry knows Louis is a hunter, and Louis like most hunters has a training gym somewhere nearby. In Louis case…in his basement. Glamorous? No. But it gets the job done. 

Harry has watched Louis disappear down this hallway countless times before, dozens of times in the last weeks alone. He and Zayn’s hearing is better than most, they can hear Louis downstairs, can hear him kicking and punching at targets around him, can hear him gasping for breath as he throws punch after punch at a target that can’t hit back. They hear the thwack of his arrows and knives hitting targets on the walls, they hear the snap of his crossbow and the thump of his kicks. 

And through it all, they’ve remained upstairs. Watching, waiting. On what, they’re not sure, on Louis to be okay, or on another demon to burst through his front door out for his blood. 

Hunters train for years to take on Harry and Zayn’s kind. They practically live in their training gyms growing up, and Harry knows Louis is no different. His training gym is where Louis goes to escape, to run away. And like most hunters, he trains mostly alone. That gym is a part of who he is, it’s perhaps the most private place in his home. That gym is where Louis grew up, where he became who he is today. Everything he’s ever learned, every skill he’s ever honed that’s eventually saved his life has been developed in that gym downstairs. 

It’s the one place in Louis’ house neither Harry nor Zayn have ever been in.

Finally, they reach a door. Zayn almost scoffs. Please, door at the end of a hallway? This is definitely some kind of cliché. Which one he’s not totally sure, but he’s pretty sure if this was an action movie what would follow would be a two minute training montage set to some sort of inspirational work out movies.

But this is no movie. Louis turns, and looks at the two of them. They’re standing in front of him, Harry in a tight black t-shirt, and Zayn in a black and grey baseball tee. Their tattoos are on full display, they seem to crawl out their shirt sleeves and up towards their throats, those dark black marks against smooth skin that shows them for what they truly are. He’s asked about them before, about what they mean, about where they come from. Zayn and Harry have told him repeatedly it’s not the kind thing that can really be explained, they represent something far more ancient, far more powerful than they can really describe. 

But as the weeks go past, Louis thinks he’s slowly beginning to understand. He looks at those tattoos, and the pacing darkness inside him seems to still. He traces them with his eyes, traces the curves and twists across muscular arms, up Zayn’s throat and down Harry’s collarbones, and he that darkness in him seems to follow. To slide along the planes and curves with his eyes. He wonders if it’s the same of Harry and Zayn. If the twisting tattoos across their upper bodies help keep them in control of the darkness inside of them. And for a moment, Louis feels truly in control, feels like that he’s the master of the blackness pitted deep in his chest. 

He can do this. He has to. 

He turns the handle, and walks through the door, Harry and Zayn close behind him. 

The room they walk into is spacious, but not huge. Punching bags and training dummies line one wall, archery and knife targets another, and the remaining two walls are covered with weapons. Knives, swords, bows and their corresponding arrows, punching mitts; every weapon Zayn thinks he’s ever seen is sitting in his boyfriend’s basement.

An odd, instinctual shiver of fear runs through them both. Harry’s more strongly reminded than he ever has been before that if he wanted to, his boyfriend owns all the tools he would need to kill him in a heartbeat. 

But that’s not what they’re here for today. Today they’re here to help Louis control his fear, not to inspire it. 

Zayn’s standing in the middle of the room, eyes crossed against his chest as his eyes scan the walls around him. He turns to Louis, his eyebrow quirking up with just a hint of arrogance. 

“So. Where do we start little hunter?” He taunts, his voice cocky and alluring. Louis is reminded of those first few months of knowing Harry and Zayn; he remembers those words, remembers that tone. And he remembers what had come after….his cheeks heat up, and now it’s his turn to have a shiver run down his spine. 

He takes a stance opposite Zayn in the center of the room, legs spread sturdily beneath him, arms loosely at his sides. Harry’s moved off to the side of the room, leaning against the wall, ankles and arms both loosely crossed; content to let Zayn have the first go. 

“Didn’t think I needed to explain this to you, Malik” Louis fires back, smirk tugging at his lips as he and Zayn begin to size each other up. Louis has looked at his boyfriend hundreds of times before, he feels like he’s memorized every curve of his body, every expression on his face. But this, this is different. He’s not looking at Zayn as a person anymore; he’s looking at him as an opponent. And he knows Zayn is doing the same to him. 

Zayn’s lean, but deceptively strong. Louis’ blush returns as he brain helpfully supplies images of all the times he’s felt Zayn manifest that strength…fuck this isn’t helping him right now. He needs to focus. 

He feels Zayn’s eyes over him, and it’s not the languid slide up and down that he’s used to, but something sharper, more focused. Zayn’s not looking at him as one looks at a lover, but rather is look at him like Louis has seen him size other demons up before. He’s looking at him like he’s a threat, and he can practically watch Zayn’s brain carefully calculate both Louis’ strengths, and how best he can neutralize those.

Louis feels himself smirk as a glint takes to his eyes. Unlucky for Zayn, he has those instincts too. Zayn’s not the only one who’s been in a fight before; Louis has been hunting practically since he was born. In a split second, his own brain is doing the same, his gaze focused as it lingers on Zayn’s shoulders, the muscles in his arms, the way his feet are moving around ever so slightly, in a way that implies nonchalance, but Louis knows is actually deceptively intentional. 

“You have any preference for weapons?” Louis asks, eyes never leaving Zayn’s body as he does. Most people think when you’re fighting, it’s your opponents hands, or limbs you need to watch for. That helps, sure, but what you’re really watching for is their torso; their body. That’s their center, it’s where you need to strike, and it’s where all their other movements originate from. 

When Zayn doesn’t answer right away, Louis lets his gaze flick up to his boyfriend’s eyes. He’s met with a devious glint, and just a hint of a smirk. 

“None” Zayn drawls, and he’s started now, moving ever so slightly around Louis’ flank. Louis moves to match him, and the two begin circling each other slowly, loosely. Harry, for his part, is still leaned against a nearby wall, watching their every move, his body tense. He too is ready; ready to step in if he needs to. He’s their backup plan. 

“None?” Louis questions, “hardly seems fair, does it?” 

Zayn smiles, dangerous and sharp. Louis is right, it’s not fair. In fact, it’s not fair at all. Zayn is faster, and stronger than Louis is, it’s why hunters always fight with weapons. They not only make it easier to kill, but it gives them something to even the playing field. In hand to hand combat, Louis’ going to have to be smart if he’s going to hold his own. 

“Thought you wanted a challenge Lou” he taunts, voice teasing and smooth. The voice he uses to goad Louis into things, often against his better judgment. It’s the voice he uses to tempt people; to spread his sin throughout the world.

And damn it. It’s working. 

“Trying to stack the deck in your favor Malik? Worried you’re going to lose?” Louis throws back at him, his voice adopting a similarly taunting tone.

Zayn for his part, just narrows his eyes, head cocking to the side as he raises a single, almost arrogant eyebrow. 

They stop. 

“I thought you weren’t afraid of me Louis” 

Louis grits his teeth. He needs to snap out of this, he can’t let Zayn get him worked up. The first rule of hunting, of fighting, is that it isn’t a place for emotions. Whether that be anger or arrogance, emotions cloud your logical judgment. They slow your reaction time. 

And Louis’ seen Zayn fight before. He knows what kind of demon Zayn is. He lives for power, manipulation; to get people to do what he wants. And he revels in it. He’s trying to rile Louis up, to psych him out before they even begin. And Louis isn’t going to give him the satisfaction. 

So he grist his teeth, squares his shoulders, and lifts his chin up. Preparing. Zayn inclines head, an almost impressed look on his face as Louis fails to take the bait. The tilt of his head seems to be almost…inviting Louis to make the first move, as if to say “go ahead…I’m waiting”.

Louis starts moving again, and Zayn moves with him. Slowly, Louis gets closer and closer, until he’s almost within striking distance. He feels it now. The quiet air of focus he gets when he fights. He lets it settle over him, lets it still him. 

And yet…this time it feels different. Whatever’s deep and dark inside of him is anything but calm, it feels like it’s pacing frantically in his chest, rattling at the bars of the cage Louis has managed to wrangle it into. Louis is calm, he’s ready to fight, but whatever’s inside of him is ready to kill. 

He gulps. He may have underestimated this. This is going to be harder than he thought. 

He can barely blink, before Zayn’s on him, coming at him fast and hard; merciless in his attack. Louis’ reaction time isn’t as good, he needs to keep it simple. Zayn’s made the first move, which is definitely to Louis’ advantage. He needs to stay on the defensive; wait for an opening as Zayn comes at him. 

Louis moves at the last possible second, ducking under Zayn’s swing, stepping underneath his arm as he punches at Louis’ chest, tumbling to the ground and rolling once before springing back to his feet. His arms are held ready in front of him as he twists around to face his boyfriend on the other side of the little circle the two of them seem to be forming. 

Zayn, for his part, is back to circling, regarding Louis with calm intent; his eyes analytical and calculating. He has the advantage in speed, but Louis has been hunting demons for a long time. He knows how they think, how they fight. Most demons rely too heavily on their strength to come out on top. But Zayn’s too smart for that. He knows that’s what Louis is used to, what Louis has the most experience countering. No the real advantage Zayn has here is speed. And he intends to use it. 

It’s barely a second later before Zayn’s coming at him again, this time faking a right hook to Louis’ jaw before moving at the last second to lean into his spin, and swing his leg out towards Louis’ neck. Louis parries in turn, pulling backwards and moving opposite Zayn’s kick, causing him to spin past him. Zayn’s back is to him for just a second, and Louis sees an opportunity. He strikes out hard and fast, kicking Zayn’s knees out from underneath him, sending him falling to the ground. 

He’s barely knocked Zayn down, when he’s moving again. If there’s anything he’s learned all his year’s hunting it’s that you can never let your moments of advantage go to waste. For every second Zayn’s on the ground, he’s vulnerable, his range of motion and his speed are both limited, and Louis can’t afford to lose that advantage. 

But Zayn knows that too, and he’s faster than Louis is. Before Louis can even move to capitalize, Zayn’s already on his feet again, spinning around to face Louis again, a smirk on his face. 

Harry stands, still leaning against the opposite wall, watching carefully as his two boyfriends spar in front of him. They’re moving fast, fast enough in fact that most probably wouldn’t be able to follow their individual movements. But Harry can. He has to admit, he’s impressed. He’s seen Louis fight before, sure, but honestly he’s doing better than he had expected him to. 

Fighting demons isn’t easy, and Zayn’s not showing him any mercy. If Louis wants to train, Zayn’s going to give him the real thing. He’s not pulling any punches.

The two of them move almost at a blur, arms and legs moving to block and strike in a violent tornado of movement. They fight viciously, Zayn’s eyes emotionless, almost cold as he strikes out at his boyfriend. Louis’ eyes still and calm as he follows Zayn’s movements, counters, and blocks his strikes against him. 

But beyond what Harry’s watching, there’s a second struggle going on—one he can’t see. One no one can see in fact. 

The more Louis fights, the more that deep, dark part of him is clawing frantically in his chest, threatening to break free. And he’s terrified of what will happen if it does. 

Louis is actually holding his own, Zayn’s blows glancing off of him as he ducks and dodges. When suddenly, it happens. 

Louis turns just a millisecond too late, and Zayn hits him. Hard. Square in the chest. 

And suddenly, it’s like that one punch is all it takes. Louis feels Zayn’s fist connect with his sternum, and he feels it. Feels that anger boil over, just as it had a few weeks ago. The monster that’s pacing in his ribcage, clawing at his chest is free, and Louis’ head snaps back as he feels its power rush through his system. 

Zayn pauses. Harry moves away from the wall. No one moves for a second, the whole room freezes where they stand. Watching. Waiting to see what Louis is going to do. 

Louis head falls forward to regard Zayn again, and his eyes are blown back. 

He smiles. Dark and sharp, a predatory smile as he regards his opponent. 

Harry steps forward, but Zayn motions him off. He’s here if they need him, but he needs to see this. He needs to know how far Louis is willing to go when he’s like this. 

“What’s the matter Zayn?” Louis purrs, and his voice is deep and dark. Deadly. “Scared?” 

Zayn for his part, just scoffs. “Of you? Please. You couldn’t hit me if you tried little hunter. You’re weak.” He spits in disgust. 

This time, Louis doesn’t stop to consider that Zayn’s riling him up. Instead, he lets you an angry screech at that, at Zayn’s tone. Weak, how dare he. He could flatten Zayn in an instant if he wanted to. 

And he will. 

He slashes forward, and now it’s Zayn’s turn to dodge as Louis comes at him with everything he has. God, it feels so good to be free, to be free of the restrictions. Suddenly, Zayn doesn’t seem quite so fast any more, it’s like Louis can see every movement around him in slow motion. 

His fist comes up, and collides with Zayn’s jaw, sending his neck snapping back. 

Zayn whirls, and he emits an angry hiss. It’s a warning. 

Back off. 

All Louis feels himself do is smirk in return. He’s not afraid anymore, not worried about this being uneven, or unfair. He’s going to win, damnit. He wants to hurt.

Harry’s still standing at the, watching nervously at what’s unfolding in front of him. But Zayn’s not seriously hurt, he’s okay. They need to let this play out. Plus, without knowing what’s come over Louis, he’s honestly not sure how to stop him. 

Louis moves, nearly as fast as Zayn now. He doesn’t know why he was so slow earlier, with this power coursing through his veins, it isn’t hard to move. To see what’s coming. To hit back. 

Louis and Zayn are moving again, and this time, the blows aren’t glancing anymore. They’re hitting. Hard. Merciless. Limbs flying and the thud of hands and feet colliding with each other. 

Suddenly, Louis ducks underneath Zayn’s kick, sweeping his support leg out from underneath him. Zayn hits the ground hard on his back. If he’d been human, it’d have knocked the wind out of him. 

But he’s not human, and a millisecond later he’s ready to strike, but this time….he isn’t fast enough. 

Instead Louis is on top of him, straddling his hips as he uses his feet to pin Zayn’s knees together, and his arms move to pin Zayn’s above his head. 

It’s not unlike the position Louis had found himself in earlier this morning…only the circumstances couldn’t have been more different. This time, instead of grinding down against Zayn’s cock, he’s pulling his fist back to punch him across the jaw. 

Zayn grimaces. Fuck, that hurt. He looks up, expecting to see Louis’ eyes looking wild. Uncontrolled. But instead, he’s met with the exact opposite. Louis’ eyes aren’t wild, quite the opposite in fact. The stillness he’s met with is infinitely more terrifying. Louis is looking at him calmly, without emotion. 

He looks deadly. 

Louis pulls back, and punches Zayn across the jaw again. Harry steps forward. Training or not, he isn’t going to let this go on too much longer. 

“Louis”. Zayn’s voice is sharp and clear, and it cuts through Louis mind like a knife through fog. He stops. Looks down, and realizes the position he’s in. His mind comes rushing back all at once. He sighs in relief. 

He’s still straddling Zayn, pinning his legs underneath his body. Zayn watches as Louis pauses, and the light returns to his eyes. He smirks down at him, teasing again, light. 

“Lou-“ Before Zayn can finish, he feels his arms being pulled up over his head, and Louis’ weight pressing down on his wrists. 

He feels a soft kiss to the side of his neck, as Louis leans down to whisper in his ear. 

“Gotcha” 

Zayn closes his eyes, and Louis feels a ripple of energy rip through him. 

The lights go out. 

Louis falls forward, and before his brain even has a chance to catch up, he feels a knee digging into his back, as he arms are pulled behind him, a strong grip pinning his wrists to the small of his back.

Zayn’s voice is deep and wicked, and Louis can feel the smirk on his face as he leans down. Louis groans. Damn it, he’d been so close too. 

“Not quite, love”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? Love it? Hate it? Have an idea?
> 
> Let me know! I absolutely love hearing y'alls feedback, comments make my little writer's heart sing with joy!! 
> 
> Also, on a side note, I do take requests for specific one shots or story ideas, whether they're related or not. Kik me if there's something you'd like to see or request! (pbarfic9)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm (finally) back!!! I know it's been forever, and I'm so so sorry!! 
> 
> I hope you like the update, as always - please let me know what you thought! Comments and kudos make my day! <3 
> 
> ALSO check the end of chapter note for an important announcement!

Zayn smirks. Feels Louis squirm in his hold underneath him, and he feels his cock begin to harden in response. Well, that certainly wasn’t what he had been expecting. Fuck, he doesn’t know what the hell is wrong with Louis, but shit, his boyfriend throws a mean punch. Louis is strong on a regular day, but with whatever that as inside of him…he rivaled Zayn’s own strength. He’d never met a hunter who fought like that before, and frankly, it was terrifying. Louis hadn’t looked…human. It’s like a physical change had come over his boyfriend, and suddenly the warm, loving light usually playing in his eyes when he was around his boyfriends was just…gone. He hadn’t been pulling any punches, Zayn’s jaw was sore from where Louis had hit him across the face with all of his strength. 

He feels Louis squirm against his hold, and he presses one more kiss against his throat as he flips Louis in his arms. The adrenaline is still pumping through his body, and the high he normally feels from fighting is being redirected in a different direction. He leans in, Louis on his back now, but still pinned beneath him, and kisses him. Hard. 

Louis groans, leaning forward into the kiss. God he’s hard, all that tension somehow melting out of his body as he feels Zayn’s solid weight on top of him. And yet… “Z-zayn” he stutters out, as Zayn, unperturbed simply moves to nip at his neck. “Yes…” he hears, and God Zayn’s voice sounds almost serpentine as he purrs in Louis’ ear. Louis feels his hips buck up noticeably, and he hears Harry’s soft chuckle in response. 

“Umm…” he starts again, but quickly loses his train of though as Harry moves to his side, pulling their lips together. Harry’s kiss is powerful, consuming, and Louis feels almost like he’s going to explode. 

Finally, he manages to get out, “ look – as much as I’m enjoying this, my back isn’t enjoying this hard floor” he sasses, as his back groans in protest. 

Zayn smirks down at him, his expression dark and wicked as he presses one final kiss to Louis’ lips, long and lingering, before moving off his boyfriend to sit on the ground beside him. Harry sits up too, cracking a smile of his own. And God, the image of the two of, side by side, eyes wicked and hungry, hair as wild as the tattoos swirling up their arms well…it isn’t helping Louis’ current situation. “Sorry love” Zayn winks. 

Louis sits up too, and rubs at the knot he can already feel forming in his back. “You two are mean…at least take me to bed first” he quips, and Harry doesn’t think he’s ever been happier to see the teasing light in his boyfriends eyes. He loves this, their back and forth – it’s something uniquely their own, something he can’t imagine finding anywhere else, or frankly for that matter – with anyone else. 

Louis has been carrying their mark for a while now, and sensing it on him makes something inside Harry crow in victory and delight as he stares at his boyfriend sitting just a few feet away from him. It’s like the deepest darkness inside of him is preening, preening at the primal recognition that their marks on Louis send. That Louis is theirs. 

He hears Zayn chuckle to his right, rough and dark. “I don’t know Lou…I think we could be a little more mean” he murmurs, leaning forward towards Louis. And suddenly, Harry is leaning forward too, his own voice washing over Louis like honey and velvet “remember that night a few weeks ago? All spread out on the bed upstairs…” The images come rushing back into Louis mind – which again, is definitely not helping his current situation. Although he can tell by the tone of their voices that alleviating that situation isn’t exactly what’s on his boyfriends’ minds at the moment.

It’s Zayn’s voice he hears next, “Remember Louis? How badly you wanted to come? How desperate you were?” Louis wants to moan. But also, he really needs to get off this floor. “Remember how much you begged?” he hears Harry’s soft whisper now, and feels his fingertips begin to stroke at his ankle. It’s a small touch, but with Harry, even something small feels practically feels like you’re being lit on fire. He has that affect on people. 

“If you want mean…” and now it’s Zayn’s turn again, to pick up where Harry left off, keeping Louis trapped in the push and pull of their voices on his subconscious. “We could do that again….” He sing songs, voice the perfect mixture of tempting and breathy, like what he’s suggesting is the most wonderful, harmless idea in the world. Zayn’s like that, his…gift gives him the ability to make the worst idea in the world sound like it would completely harmless. Louis is half convinced he could convince a person to kill someone just by whispering in their ear. This time Louis does groan. 

“Please?” he groans, “bed?” his voice is drawn out, and Harry knows it wouldn’t take much longer before they could have Louis changing his tune. Before they could have him laid out in front of them, begging one of them to take him. But for as much as he and Zayn are enjoying this, they don’t want Louis actually hurt, and so one at a time, they stand up off the floor. 

Louis is the first to start for the door. He looks over his shoulder, tousled hair falling into his eyes, and a smile on his face as he looks at his boyfriends who for some reason, are just standing there, matching smirks on their faces, and glints in their eyes. 

“Well…” he drawls, “are you two coming?” 

Harry and Zayn don’t need to be told twice, and together the three of them head for the bedroom. 

They get halfway up the stairwell, when suddenly Harry moves, pinning Zayn against he wall briefly. Zayn jumps in surprise, before feeling his boyfriends lips press insistently against his own. Their kiss is hot, but teasingly brief. Zayn groans as Harry pulls back, nipping teasingly at his lower lip before leaning in to whisper in his ear. 

“You look hot when you fight.” 

Zayn groans at Harry’s honey smooth voice washes through him, his head thudding back against the wall he’s pressed against. He levels Harry with a look, somewhere between a glare and a smolder. Fuck, he wants it bad, wants to see his boyfriends fall apart for him. “Come on,” he murmurs, “let’s go find Louis” 

They make it to Louis’ room, to find him already stretched out on his bed, still painfully hard. Harry reaches the room first, Zayn stopping just behind him. Fuck, no matter how many times they do this, he’s never going to get used to that sight. To the effect it has on him. Zayn comes from behind him, and Harry watches him stalk towards the bed, like a predator approaching its prey. Slowly. Deliberately. With the promise of so much more. 

“Something we can do for you Louis?” Zayn purrs as he reaches the bed. “Your back looks awful sore, wouldn’t want to wear you out…” he taunts, sliding over Louis’ body until he’s hovering over him. Harry smirks, fuck the two of them are hot. He’ll never tire of watching the two of them together, Louis’ careful excitement against Zayn’s brazen temptation. It’s like his own personal brand of porn, and damn it if it isn’t making him desperate right now. 

Harry sees the wicked smirk on Zayn’s face, and decides to show Louis some mercy, bending over to press his lips tenderly against Louis’ own. Zayn watches, a glint in his eyes as Harry bats Louis’ hands away from where he’s reaching desperately towards his own cock, and takes him into his own hand instead. Louis jolts, spine snapping taught as his hips fly off the bed at Harry’s touch. 

Zayn chuckles quietly. Harry’s power has a tendency to do that to people. Not wanting to be left out, he moves to Louis’ other side. “Is this what you wanted?” He teases, letting his voice drop onto Louis’ skin, lets it settle into his bones. God he loves being a demon of lust. The feeling of watching someone react to his voice, to watch them lose control and become desperate, it’s the most amazing feeling in the world. 

“Wanted Harry’s hand wrapped around you? You’re so hard baby, looks like it hurts” he coos in mock sympathy, nimble fingers dancing down to pinch at Louis’ nipple. 

Louis can’t take it anymore, the combination of Zayn’s words, and Harry’s touch sending pleasure crackling through his veins. He’s abruptly reminded of that first night they met, of how similar a situation they’d been in. Harry between his legs, while Zayn toyed with him. He groans, as Harry’s hand tightens imperceptibly, and that’s all it takes. 

Louis’ hips fly off the bed as he comes with a shout. His eyes clench shut, and he feels it. That moment of perfect ecstasy when your body convulses at the hands of another, and you lose control completely. He’s coming down from his high, and just a second too late he realizes his mistake. 

He’s lost control. 

Harry looks up, a smile on his faces when suddenly, he freezes as he looks into Louis’ eyes. 

They’re black as night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh.... Are Harry and Zayn in for a rough time? What's happening to Louis?!
> 
> So?? Love it? Hate it? Hate ME??? PLEASE let me know below! 
> 
> ALSO - HERE'S THE IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!   
> I'm officially looking for a beta for this story/series! Kik me if you're interested (pbarfic9, same as here) - responsibilities include helping me catch typos and stuff and also reminding my lazy self to write haha 
> 
> As always, please please please let me know what you thought! Comments and kudos make my writer's heart sing with joy!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update! I hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> As always, comments are kudos make my day! <3

Louis pauses, and waits. Waits for the anger, the hatred. Waits for the thirst for blood, the desire to kill, the murderous rampage that seemed to revel in the fight, in overpowering its opponent. In winning. 

He waits, and his boyfriends wait too.

They, just like Louis, appear frozen on the spot. Their bodies are tense with an odd mixture of fear, concern, and well… if they’re being totally honest with themselves, desire. And so they wait. Wait to see what Louis’ going to do. To see if they need to be afraid of him.

If he can get himself back under control. 

They wait, but it never comes. 

Instead, they’re met by something else entirely. 

Louis closes his eyes, and searches for that anger. That darkness that stalks inside of him. And he finds it. No longer pacing in his chest, he feels it free, feels it flowing through his veins. Feels it thrumming, like power through his body. For a moment, he feels almost like he’s could combust, he’s caught up in the feeling of this deep, ancient power crashing through him, like water out of a damn. 

And yet it feels…different somehow. It’s the same darkness, Louis can tell. He feels that same wicked gleam, that same desire to _conquer_ , to _win_. But he doesn’t feel murderous…instead he feels ravenous with a different kind of hunger. 

His back arches, as he stretches himself slowly. Like a cat – sleek, and powerful, but with a decided sensual, rather than bloodthirsty, edge to his movements. 

He sees Harry, still between his legs, and Zayn laying to his side, and he sees trepidation in their eyes. The darkness inside of him doesn’t like that, he doesn’t want them to be worried, he wants them…he needs them to feel good. It’s like a deep, almost itching hunger inside of him, a primal need he’s never experienced before. 

He decides to start with Zayn. He’s closer after all. 

“Why are you afraid?” he coos, his voice soft, almost innocent. But his curious tone is offset but the positively gleaming look in his eye, and for a moment, he looks truly wicked. 

Harry feels his mouth snap open, just slightly. Louis’ voice, it sounds…different. Rougher, more alluring. The kind of voice that’s gentle in its deception – the kind of voice that made you _want_ something. Desperately, more than anything else in the world. There’s an edge to his voice, a note to it, that doesn’t sound human. It’s subtle, sure, but it’s definitely there. He’s heard that voice before…

It sounds…it sounds like Zayn’s voice. 

The voice he uses when he lets himself go, the voice he uses to get people to do what he wants. To get people to lust after him, to find their deepest, darkest secrets and have them bare them for him to see. To bring people under his spell.

It’s not like he’s listening to Zayn speak out of Louis’ body, no it’s still Louis speaking. But his tone, the melodious quality to his voice sounds…well it sounds almost exactly like how Zayn uses his own voice to his advantage. How he uses it to get what he wants. 

“I just want to give you what you want…” Louis continues, and Harry feels a shiver run down his spine. He’s been around Zayn for a long time, and just because he’s a demon doesn’t mean he’s totally immune to the effects Zayn can have on people. He maybe doesn’t feel it as strongly as a human would, but he can still feel it. It’s still there. He knows what it feels like to come under Zayn’s spell, to feel your world tunnel to him, and him alone, as his power has you hanging on his every word. Desperate to please him. 

Harry’s used to what that feels like, but Zayn…Zayn certainly isn’t. 

It’s not like he affects himself with his gifts. He’s seen the effect he has on others hundreds, probably even thousands of times. But never once has he had…a taste of his own medicine so to speak. He’s never experienced what it’s like to become helpless at his own hand. 

But well, as they say – there’s a first time for everything. 

“You made me feel so good” Louis purrs, laying back on the pillows of their bed. “Why don’t you come over here and let me return the favor?”. He looks positively sinful, fucked out and spread out on their bed, his eyes and hair wild as he stares at the two of them hungrily. Like he wants to devour them. 

Zayn swallows, hard. His mouth feels suddenly dry, like a dying man in the desert desperate for even the briefest drink of water – and Louis is an oasis laid out before him. Offering him everything he wants. 

And God, Zayn _wants_. Wants something, anything Louis will give him. He’s desperate for him, in a way he’s never felt before. 

Like a man spellbound he finds himself moving towards Louis on the bed, only to find himself hovering over Louis’ form, still sprawled back against the pillows. Louis looks pleased to say the least, like he’s getting exactly what he wants. 

It’s not a second later before Zayn is on him, mouth pressing intently against Louis’ own. His kiss is hungry, desperate, he pours all of his desperation into their kiss. He feels Louis groan underneath him at the force of their lips colliding as Zayn’s mouth searches his own. 

But the moment his lips touch Louis’, Zayn feels something else different. A spark of pleasure zips down his spine, making his body arch taunt for a moment, as he’s consumed by the pleasure coursing through his veins. Zayn pauses. He knows that feeling, he’s felt it before. 

It feels…it feels like it does when Harry touches him. 

Not that Louis’s isn’t plenty capable of his own right in the bedroom, but his touch is sending that spark of pleasure coursing through his veins that he knows can only come from pleasure demons. Pleasure demons like Harry.

Zayn’s expression is confused as he pulls away, breaking their kiss. What the? How the? But Louis isn’t…?

His train of thought is abruptly interrupted as he feels Louis’ hand fist around his cock, as he begins to stroke him slowly. Zayn moans as his head falls to rest on Louis’ shoulder, suddenly powerless beneath his touch. 

God, it feels so good. Louis is tugging at him tightly, insistently, in every way he knows Zayn likes. Add that to the feeling of an almost electric current running through his veins, and Zayn’s arching into Louis’ hand faster than he’d like to admit. 

He wants to come. So. Badly. 

So too, it seems, does Harry who it appears finally can’t take it anymore, and has moved from his position between Louis’ legs to lay at his other side. 

“He looks so good, doesn’t he Harry?” Zayn hears Louis murmur, and that lilt in his voice has them both groaning in response. 

“You’re so hard for me, love.” he hears Louis’ purr, as his grip tightens around Zayn’s cock. His hips buck up helplessly into Louis’ hand, he wants to, wants so, so badly. 

“Bet you want to come, don’t you?”

And Zayn does. Does more than anything else in the world. Louis’ voice is gentle, and rough, coiling around the edges and infiltrating his consciousness. It’s like he’s snuck into Zayn’s head and rewired his brain. 

For maybe the first time in his existence, Zayn truly _lusts_. 

His hips buck into Louis’ hand, he’s close now, just a hair’s breath away. He can feel it. 

“Please Lou”, he gasps desperately, “please let me…” 

He sees the smirk on Louis’ face, and doesn’t even get to finish his sentence before his eyes fly open as the heat of Louis’ mouth encloses around him. Swallowing him whole. 

That’s it, he can’t wait anymore, and his hips buck up desperately as his orgasm shatters through him. 

Fuck, that felt good. 

But it’s not just Zayn that moans, Louis too groans in delight as he watches his boyfriend fall apart beside him. The darkness inside him crows in delight, and suddenly, that ravenous hunger subsides slightly. But it’s only momentary, as the power inside of him seems to almost realize that there’s still one person left unsatisfied in the room. 

He turns his attention to Harry. 

Poor Harry is hard as a rock beside him, and he already feels desperate for something, anything to alleviate his desperation. His boyfriends together are nothing short of devastating, and Harry feels like every cell in my body is on fire – scorched at the heat of watching Louis and Zayn tug back and forth in a desperate game. 

“Don’t worry love” he hears Louis whisper, and fuck, that voice. “I haven’t forgotten about you…” 

Harrys’ hips buck off the bed as he feels Louis’ mouth around him, and he fists the sheets in an almost futile attempt to keep them out of the wild mess of Louis’ hair. 

But it’s not just Louis’ mouth that has him bucking off the bed, Harry almost feels like he’s being electrocuted with the pleasure coursing through his veins. Fuck, he’s never felt anything like this before, this is something beyond human. This is pleasure designed for a very specific purpose. 

He looks over Louis’ shoulder at Zayn, a wild, confused look on his face, twisted somehow with the pleasure still ripping through his system. 

Is this what….what his own touch feels like? But it can’t be, he’d already recognized Zayn’s power in Louis…somehow. It couldn’t be bo-

His train of thought is abruptly cut short as Louis swallows around him, and Harry can’t contain it anymore. His hips fly off the bed desperately, as he too feels himself riding the waves of his orgasm.

Louis pulls off with an obscene sounding pop, before moving to once again lay between his two boyfriends. Whatever darkness inside of him feels….almost proud. Like it had accomplished what it had meant to. Like it had _won_. 

Zayn watches Louis’ eyes fade black to their normal blue before suddenly, they seem to almost lose their focus…

Louis passes out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So?? What's going on? Stay tuned for the next chapter as they hopefully begin to figure things out...
> 
> Love it? Hate it? Hate ME???? Let me know in the comments below!!
> 
> I absolutely LOVE hearing what y'all thought and y'alls ideas, kudos and comments make my little writer's heart sing with joy!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At long last, an update as our trio finally begin to piece some things together!
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoy it, and don't forget to let me know what you thought!!

Harry looks down at where Louis is still lying on their bed, dead to the world in his unconsciousness. He’s not been out very long, a minute or two tops, so there’s no reason for either of them to really be worried yet. Instead, he feels a soft smile take over his face as he looks down at his boyfriend lying beside him. He cards his fingers through Louis’ hair slowly, calmly, like he’s trying to help coax him back into the land of the living. Louis looks calm, looks peaceful, his body bathed in the warm glow of a bedside lamp as he lies between his two boyfriends. He looks safe. 

Harry feels an almost unfamiliar tug at his chest at the sight. Well, not totally unfamiliar, he’s felt it more than once over the past several months, that warm pang in his chest when he sees Louis sleeping peacefully, when sees him laugh loud and bright, the seriousness he sees in his face as he trains. As he tries to figure out what’s going on with him lately. 

Harry was born a demon. He’s never been anything else, never experienced what it’s like to be human. To care as they do, to feel as they do. He doesn’t think he understands it truly, doesn’t think he can, really. But sometimes he wonders…wonders about that pang in his chest when he looks at Louis, the surge of protectiveness when he sees Louis threatened, the awe when he watches him fight. He wonders if maybe, just maybe, that’s what it’s like. To feel. To be human. 

In any case, something’s definitely changed. And not just for him, for all three of them. He and Zayn are more…caring than they’d ever been before in their existences. And Louis…whatever was inside Louis was changing him too, as they struggled to understand what “it” even was.

Harry’s thoughts are interrupted by Zayn’s voice, gently from his position on Louis’ opposite side. He looks soft around in the edges in the late afternoon light, and Harry stops to think how very…domestic this whole scene looks. 

“Am I crazy?” 

Harry chuckles softly, lifting his head to look at Zayn fondly. 

“No more than usual” He winks, the teasing natural and good-natured, a playful smile on his face.

Zayn rolls his eyes at Harry, but they’re filled with affection, rather than annoyance. Zayn looks down at Louis, at where he’s still lying between them. A more serious expression crosses his face.

“Did you feel it too then? In his touch?” 

“Did you hear it in his voice?” Harry counters. 

Zayn nods once again. He had definitely heard it, had felt it too. It was unequivocally something…more than human. But then again, they had known that already, that much had been pretty obvious in the training room. 

Slowly, Louis begins to stir, as he feels the fog clear from his head. He’s awake, but waits just a minute before actually opening his eyes. 

He waits, and he assesses himself. More importantly, he assesses to ensure that he’s indeed returned to himself. Checks to make sure that darkness inside of him is firmly trapped in its cage, that it isn’t flowing through him. He just…he needs to be sure. Needs to be sure he’s not going to hurt anyone, least of all Harry and Zayn. 

Finally, he opens his eyes, to see his boyfriends sitting over him, looking down. It looks like a movie scene, where the main character is horribly ill and finally awakens, only to be immediately consumed by the image of two people standing over them, staring down. 

Their eyes are bright as they look at him, their hair and expressions soft, fond. Louis feels himself smile, and even whatever’s pacing at his chest seems to calm at the sight. 

“Welcome back” 

It’s Zayn that speaks first, his tone teasing as Louis moves to sit up. So, ya know, they can have an actual conversation. 

Carefully, his eyes scan their bodies, looking for injuries. He examines them thoroughly, his discerning eye searching out any cuts or bruises, or God forbid…something worse. There was a time when Louis would have said that no matter what happened, he never would have hurt them. But now, with this power clawing at his chest, he’s not so sure anymore.

“So…” he starts, not really sure how to broach the subject of what’s happened. 

“So.” 

Harry’s answer is simple, patient as he and Zayn look at Louis expectantly, waiting for him to continue. Louis stumbles for a moment, unable to find the words he wants to use to describe what’s just happened to him. He looks at them, and their expressions are both so serious, he doesn’t think he’s ever seen them like this before. He’s suddenly hit with an overwhelming feeling of severity, and the words dry up in his mouth. 

“Well I have to say, that was definitely more enjoyable for me at least than the last time.” 

Zayn winks, and Louis cracks a grin at his teasing tone and mischievous smile. All at once, it’s like the ice is broken. The tension drains from the room, and Louis takes a deep breath. 

“It felt different this time” 

“Different how? Did you feel less out of control?” Zayn questions, head cocking to the side, the expression on his face pondering, but his focus never wavers. 

“No, not like that. I don’t know how to describe it it’s like…like I can keep it contained, until I can’t. And then it just comes rushing through me, and it’s like it’s taken over me” 

“Your eyes turn black you know. When that happens.” Harry says softly. 

Louis gulps. He hadn’t know that, it’s not like he’s ever taken the time out to look at himself in the mirror once he’s lost control. Once the darkness seems to be making all of his decisions for him. 

And he’s scared. Scared of what he’s becoming, of what’s inside of him. Scared he’s becoming the one thing he’s spent his entire life trying to exterminate. 

Evil.

“Am I-“ Louis starts, but he stops before he can get the sentence out. He turns to look out the window, sees the sunshine outside, and the tree just outside his window. Everything out there seems so simple, so carefree. So easy. The exact opposite of how he’s feeling at the moment, torn up and conflicted. Afraid of what they all know he’s trying to ask. He closes his eyes. 

“Am I turning into a demon?” he asks softly. 

He squeezes his eyes closed, and waits. He can’t bear to turn around and look at them, he’s afraid of what he’ll see. He knows them well enough to be able to read it in their faces, what they’re really thinking. 

“No, I don’t think you are” 

It’s now that his head whips around, as his mouth clicks open. In what, Louis’ not completely sure. - Shock? Relief? Disbelief? The look of confusion must be apparent on his face, as Zayn moves to continue.

“Everyone I’ve ever heard of who’s turned, it happened basically overnight. You more or less pass out for about half a day, and when you come too…” 

Louis nods. He’s a hunter, he knows what comes next. He hasn’t heard of anyone taking this long to turn either, but at this point, he hasn’t ever heard of this kind of thing happening to anyone else, so he thinks they may be somewhat outside the realm of normalcy. 

“But it’s more than that” Harry says, picking up where Zayn left off. “For one thing, you can control it, at least most of the time. If you had turned, you wouldn’t be able to do that” 

“Are you sure?” 

Louis knows Harry is right, is the thing, knows in all his years of experience he’s never heard of a demon with what, a split personality? Who could turn their darkness on and off? 

But at this point, Louis’ not sure of anything anymore. Even this. 

“I’m sure” Harry assures him, his voice warm and comforting. He feels Zayn’s hand in his own, squeezing softly. Somehow assuring him that he’s going to be okay. That this isn’t the end of the world, that he’s still himself. 

That despite all of this, the three of them are still okay. Louis feels a weight lift from his chest. He needed that, needed that reassurance. 

“Okay, so what is it then? If I haven’t turned, then what the hell is going on with me…I mean this has to have come from somewhere right?” 

Harry sighs. “We’re not sure, to be honest” 

Louis nods solemnly. That’s not what he’d been hoping for, but it’s what he’d been expecting. If either of them had known for sure, they would have told him by now. 

“I didn’t feel as…murderous this time” he finally says, figuring if they’re going to decipher this, then he needs to lay all his cards on the table. They look at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue. 

“When we were in the training room downstairs, it felt like…well it felt like that first time, when that demon broke into my living room. I could feel this power coursing through my veins, and everything inside of me just wanted to hurt something.” 

He looks at Zayn, apology shining in his eyes. 

“I wanted to hurt you” he admits softly. 

Zayn looks at the expression on Louis’ face, and feels like something wants to break inside of him. Louis looks small, curled up into himself. He looks horrified at himself.

Zayn cracks a comforting half-smile. He chuckles, “I noticed, love” 

Louis’ heart is hammering at his chest, and he’s afraid to look back at Zayn. Zayn must be angry right? Louis had decked him in the face. Hard. More than once too. But when he looks up, it’s not anger he’s confronted with. 

“Lou listen, I’m fine. Really” Zayn reassures him. 

“Although remind me not to get on your bad side, you throw a mean right hook” he teases, and Louis laughs, as once again the tension is broken by the mischievous teasing he’s used to between the three of them. 

“But I didn’t feel that this time…I didn’t want to hurt, I wanted…It’s like I was ravenous all of a sudden. Everything inside of me wanted you to feel good, it’s like I needed it.” 

Harry smirks, “trust me, we know the feeling” 

“Is that what it feels like for you? All the time?” 

“Only when we’re hungry. Normally it’s more subdued, but yeah that’s pretty much what it’s like for us” Zayn smirks, a wicked expression on his face that makes Louis want to shudder. 

“Is that what it’s like for you?” Harry asks, “when you’re with us?” 

Louis’ brow furrows in confusion, “what do you mean?” 

Harry and Zayn’s eyes meet from their positions on either side of Louis’ body. They thought he had maybe been doing it on purpose, but it’s clear he has no idea what they’re talking about.

“It’s not just your eyes that changed Lou. Your voice…it sounded like…Zayn’s voice”

Louis recoils in shock, “How so? Like he was speaking out of my body? ‘Cause I’m sorry, but that’s just creepy”

Harry laughs, “No, not like that, more like…you know…” he struggles to find the words to accurately quantify what it’s like when Zayn uses his voice like a weapon, soft and velvety, and so unbelievably alluring, the kind of tone that made you focus on him and him alone. That makes you desperate for him and whatever he was offering. 

“Like this, love” Zayn purrs, letting that extra note of want slide into his voice. Louis shivers in response, as that note of temptation in Zayn’s voice crawls under his skin. He’s heard it a thousand times, and yet he doesn’t think he’ll ever want less every time he hears it. But damn it, he’s too tired to go again, and if Zayn keeps that up, it’s not going to be very long before he’ll want to. 

“Oh, you mean the voice he uses to get what he wants?” he drawls sarcastically, smirking down at Zayn, who’s moved to lay next to him on the bed. 

“Me?” Zayn coos, his face the very picture of innocence, “I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about?” 

Louis thinks he’d even buy it, if he didn’t know his boyfriend better than that. 

Harry scoffs, “Please, you revel in it” he retorts, a wicked gleam in his eye.

Now it’s Zayn’s turn to scoff, “Oh and you don’t? Don’t try to play the victim here Harry, you just love to watch the look on someone’s face when your fingers brush theirs, watch the pleasure zip down their spine. Watch them try desperately to appear unaffected, knowing you could shatter their façade in an instant if you wanted to.” 

There’s an impish spark in Zayn’s eyes, and he’s switched back into using that voice again. And damn it, they need to have this conversation, Louis is not getting hard right now. So instead, he turns to look at Harry, rolling his eyes.

“Does he ever shut up?” he asks, gesturing to Zayn.

Zayn laughs at that, “You wouldn’t like me so much if I did” he winks.

Louis sighs. He probably wouldn’t, but that’s definitely not the point of this conversation right now. 

“And that’s what I sounded like?” he asks, his face morphing from amused at his boyfriend’s banter, to confused at what they were telling him. 

“Yep” Harry says, “threw Zayn for quite a loop too, gave him a taste of his own medicine for once” 

Louis raises an eyebrow at that, smirk tugging at his lips. “Did I now?” 

Zayn meets his gaze head on, defiantly and unashamed. He shrugs “It was hot”

Louis laughs at that, “I’ll have to keep that in mind” 

“I wasn’t the only one who got a taste of his own medicine though, was I Harry?” Zayn fires back, a devilish expression on his face. “You see Lou it’s not just my gift you seem to have been sharing…it seems you got Harry’s as well” 

“So what did I get like a two for one deal or something?” 

“Jesus, Lou...” 

He laughs, “But you enjoyed it then?” he asks, turning to Harry to await his answer. 

Harry’s expression matches Zayn’s “What can I say, it was hot”

Louis feels himself smile, he’s missed this. Missed their back and forth, their playful teasing slash flirting, it feels like a lifetime ago since he’d felt this…happy. 

“So” Harry says, suddenly all business, “it’s clear that whatever this is, it’s not necessarily always violent.” 

“Yes” 

“Which means it’s probably safe for us to try a couple more things, and see what happens.” 

“Things like what?” 

Louis looks up, to see matching smirks on his boyfriend’s faces. 

“Alright Louis, let’s see how far these gifts of yours go” 

The wicked glint in Harry’s eye should have prepared Louis for what came next, but somehow, even after all this time…

It didn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh what do our favorite demons have planned to put Louis through his paces?? 
> 
> Love it?? Hate it?? Hate ME?? 
> 
> Please please please let me know!! Comments and kudos make my writer's heart sing with joy, hearing y'alls thoughts is the best part about this! 
> 
> Mwah! <3


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY an update! I know it's been literally forever. Apologies for how long it's been, I've been dealing with some personal stuff these past few months and haven't really had the energy to write :( The good news is, I think I finally have an outline locked down for where I want to go here! 
> 
> Thank you for being patient with me, I hope you enjoy the chapter! 
> 
> As always, please let me know what you thought!

A second later, and Louis feel his feet hitting the ground. 

He sighs. Harry and Zayn have a nasty habit of lacking any form of patience for non-instantaneous travel methods. Which means this situation, in and of itself, is unfortunately common for him. He doesn’t care what Harry tells him, he’s never going to get used to the two of them shadow traveling everywhere – never going to get used to the feeling of falling, before half a second later you’re in a completely different place. 

He feels his feet hit the ground, and he assumes that’s what’s happened. 

Except for one thing…he has no idea where he is.

Not because his eyes are scanning an unfamiliar landscape, no in fact, he can’t seem to see anything at all. He’s surrounded by complete and utter darkness. A darkness blacker than night, so complete he couldn’t see his hand in front of his own face if he tried to. 

His heart flutters, as nerves start to kick through his system. His instincts don’t like this, without his sight he’s exposed, vulnerable. He can’t see anything around him, wouldn’t know if something was happening to him until it was already too late. 

And yet just as he feels his eyes dart around, searching frantically for anything to hold on to, he feels something else too. Something he hadn’t ever expected to feel in this situation.   
He feels calm. 

In fact, he feels perhaps more in control than he’s felt in a long time, more centered than he’s felt since whatever was pacing in his chest had first broken free. Ironically, he feels at peace, like he finally has a grip on himself. Here he is, in the one place in the world where he’s the least in control of his surroundings, and yet he finally feels utterly in control of himself. 

Until suddenly, he feels a breeze behind him, as though someone or something has moved past him quickly. 

He whips around, but there’s nothing there. Nothing to see, nothing to hear only the crushing weight of the darkness surrounding him. 

“H-hello?” he calls out, and his voice quivers slightly. 

“Don’t worry love, it’s just me” he hears Zayn’s voice purr, just beside his ear, like Zayn’s standing directly behind him. 

He whips around again, reaches his hand out to hold onto him, but once again he finds himself staring into nothingness. His hand reaches out, and drops right back down onto his side. There’s nothing there.

He feels air rush past him again, and he strains his eyes to see something, anything, in the darkness. 

It’s futile – he knows that much. He has no idea where he is, but no matter how much he flicks his eyes back and forth, unless this darkness lifts itself, he’s not going to be able to see anything. 

He hears a soft chuckle to his left. 

“What’s the matter love?” He hears Harry taunt, and he instinctually moves towards the sound. 

“Can’t you see us?” it’s Zayn’s voice now, on his opposite side, his tone lilting and teasing. He turns slowly, he can feel himself being circled, and just the knowledge that they can see him while he can’t do the same makes him feel hunted. Like prey. 

“W-what’s going on. Why can’t I see you?” he stammers out. He can feel their eyes on him, watching, waiting. For what he’s not sure. 

“I think you can love” he hears Zayn’s voice, and he turns to follow the sound. 

He can’t though, and that’s all that he can think as he feels his heart race as a gentle hand brushes across his shoulders, and a breeze flutters across his neck. 

“I can’t” he says, speaking into the darkness. “I-I can’t see anything”. His voice is small. Not meek, but cautious, vulnerable. 

“Of course you can” he feels a reassurance to his left, and a soft kiss behind his ear. 

“Come find us Louis” he hears Zayn’s voice sing song, taunting him, and this time it sounds further away. 

He stops. Pauses. 

He stands there, stands still, and closes his eyes. 

Louis takes a moment to consider his situation. He needs to figure out where he is if he’s going to find a way out of this. He opens his eyes, and reaches his hands out in front of him, hoping he’ll encounter a wall, an object, anything he could use to help orient himself. He takes two steps forward, reaches his arms out around him. 

And feels nothing.

It’s like the blackness around him is utterly empty, like he’s just standing in an infinite, pitch-black space, infinite in every direction. 

It’s like…it’s like a shadow.

And now he pauses. He knows demons use shadows to travel, to hide, to conceal themselves as they stalk their prey, but he’d never considered the possibility that they might be tangible places he could find himself in. He’d always just assumed they used them as means of transportation, a simple way to get from one point to another. 

He feels a shiver of fear pass down his spine. It’s like Zayn and Harry had pulled him along to shadow travel, and then just…left him there. And if he’s where he thinks he is, he has no idea who else, or what else, might be in here with him. 

That would explain why he can’t see them, why the darkness around him is so encompassing, so complete. Because shadows, like demons, are inherently defined by their absence of light. 

“Zayn?” he calls out into the darkness. 

“Yes?” he hears his boyfriend purr in his ear. 

Louis takes a deep breath. “Help me find you, I don’t know how”, he says, a note of frustration in his voice. He can feel their presence, knows they’re there, and yet it’s like there’s a massive river between them. A river he has no idea how to cross. 

“It’s simple Louis…” Zayn begins, and his voice is in front of him now, as he moves silently around…wherever they are. 

“Demons are just fallen Angels. So close your eyes…” it’s Harry’s turn now, somewhere to his left. 

“And fall” 

Louis is terrified. Terrified of what this means, of the unknown. He doesn’t know how to do this, doesn’t know how he’s supposed to do that. 

Louis doesn’t know, but the darkness pacing in his chest does.

Suddenly that darkness, relatively quiet until now, is restless again. Clawing at his chest like never before. That primal darkness inside of him wants out of the cage Louis has locked it in. 

Louis takes a deep breath. Closes his eyes…and lets himself go. 

He lets himself fall.

What comes next is almost beyond anything he can even describe. He feels that darkness burst forth, feels the power flow through his veins, feels himself being overwhelmed. 

But then, he feels something else. He feels that darkness rush out of him, like a river joining the stream of blackness that surrounds him. And he feels himself fall, feels his own darkness drain from him only to be immediately replaced with the blackness of the shadow as it comes crashing through him. 

He falls, and falls, but instead of landing, he feels himself bleeding into the fabric of the shadow itself. 

He opens his eyes.

And suddenly, he can see everything. It’s like he’s one with the darkness, not like it’s merely within him, but like he’s within it. 

He feels like he’s seeing the world anew for the first time. There are Harry and Zayn, standing in front of him, clear as day. They’re tangible, they’re there right in front of him. They look so at home, like this is where they belong, the blackness of the surrounding matching the blackness of their eyes. Louis is surprised by how much he feels like he belongs here too. 

But it’s not just them he can see, he feels like he can see the whole world spread out in front of him. Not literally of course, but something within him knows that if he reached out, he could touch whatever part of the world he wanted to. He could traverse this tapestry of darkness, and let its current carry him through to wherever he wished. 

It’s oddly beautiful, the darkness of the world laid out before him, and it thrills the animal inside of him, which purrs in recognition as it mingles with the blackness of the shadow around him. 

And suddenly he understands. He had always wondered how demons used shadows to travel. After all, how do you know where you’re going when you’re surrounded by a darkness so absolute you can’t see? 

He feels like a blind person, seeing the world for the first time, seeing its many opportunities laid bare in front of him.

It’s exciting, and beautiful, but it’s also terrifying. Terrifying in its scale, but also terrifying in what it all means. 

After all, only a demon, a creature truly one with this darkness has the eyesight to traverse it. 

And as Louis stands there, somehow both tangible and not, both present, and hidden within a shadow itself, he feels his heart clench in fear. Finally, he’s confronted with what somehow he’s known all along. 

He’s changed. And he’s terrified of what he’s become.

He’s terrified he’ll let himself bleed into this darkness, and won’t be able to find the light again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? Love it? Hate it? Hate ME??
> 
> Have an idea? A guess as to what's going on or where the story is going? Something you'd like to see? 
> 
> Please please please let me know!! Kudos and comments make my little writer's heart sing with joy <3


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